Innovative Burn Treatments
Burn treatments are continuously innovated to create a better healing experience for the patient and to treat the wound in an efficient manner while avoiding infection.
Spray Skin Technology
Many burn surgery teams are now using a new spray-on skin cell technology — known as the RECELL® System — to treat severe burns. Spray skin is typically used on patients with vast injuries to avoid scarring. This alternative bypasses the pain, potential skin allograft rejection, and scarring that comes with the previous skin graft approach. With this approach, a small sample of skin is collected from the patient and is immersed in an enzyme solution to create a liquid filled with keratinocytes, fibroblasts and melanocytes--- skin cells that play a vital role in wound healing. The formula is sprayed over the wound and the cells are distributed, immediately stimulating the healing process by generating more cells. Using this method, the process can take as little as 30 minutes.
StrataGraft
StrataGraft is a topical used to treat thermal burns which are caused by direct contact with an external heat source such as steam, scalding water, hot surfaces or fire. The formula of StrataGraft is composed of keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, skin cells that play a critical role in regeneration. With StrataGraft, the hope is to have the patient’s cells regenerate, leaving minimal area needed to be treated with skin graft.
Scar Treatment
Many burn survivors suffer from traumatic scars. Physicians can use laser treatments to reduce the inflammation of scars and target areas of tissue that cause stiff, thick scars. Fractional CO2 laser therapy, a non-invasive burn scar treatment, breaks down scar tissue to reveal softer and smoother skin along with an increased range of motion. This helps restore the skin’s function, reduces pain and improves the cosmetic appearance for injured patients.
Image by Popular Science
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